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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28422156">Dancing in the Moonlight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/amandapanda425/pseuds/amandapanda425'>amandapanda425</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Charmed (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M, Gen, Written for the Charmed 2020 Secret Santa Gift Exchange</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:33:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,470</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28422156</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/amandapanda425/pseuds/amandapanda425</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Following the defeat of the Faction, the Charmed Ones and Harry celebrate the holidays together. Maggie gets excited at the thought of carrying on Marisol's traditions while also wanting to incorporate Dexter's traditions. Harry and Macy stress themselves out trying to find the perfect gift for each other.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Greenwood &amp; Macy Vaughn, Harry Greenwood/Macy Vaughn, Jordan Chase &amp; Maggie Vera, Jordan Chase/Maggie Vera, Ruby/Mel Vera</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>CW Charmed Secret Santa 2020 Event</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dancing in the Moonlight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Majestrix/gifts">Majestrix</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Merry belated Christmas! This is a gift for M Greenwood (Majestrix), who also happens to be one of my favorite fic writers, so I hope this lives up to their expectations. I managed to incorporate 3 of the 4 prompts I received, which are listed at the end of the fic. </p><p>There is also a bonus gift to accompany this fic: The shared playlist Harry and Macy have in this story actually exists. So, if you'd like to listen to it while you read, it can be found here (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3lP3vbChiIhW42FxiUxU6Z). It's what I listened to while I was writing and editing. </p><p>Happy reading! Any comments or kudos are always appreciated.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Charmed Ones lounged in the living room, face masks on as they treated themselves to a night of relaxation. Their lives had slowed down since the Faction was defeated, but this week had seen more demonic activity than in the past several months. They had a particularly grueling battle against a rogue Malignant sect the day before. Though Harry had healed their injuries immediately, the sisters still felt exhausted from the fight. </p><p>As a way to destress, Harry cooked lasagna for dinner that night and agreed to clean up afterwards, knowing they needed a chance to unwind together. </p><p>The three sat around, enjoying the blissful silence. Mel turned on an ambient music playlist while Maggie lit a couple calming candles. </p><p>“We have got to do this more often,” Mel said. “This is the most peaceful I’ve felt in weeks.”</p><p>“Maybe we can even get Harry in on it sometime,” Maggie joked. “Teach him some proper skincare.”</p><p>“I’ve tried, but he doesn’t like the way the face mask feels,” Macy sighed. “He said it feels suffocating.”</p><p>“Hmm, I guess I can see that,” Maggie replied. She sat up and turned to her sisters, excitedly. “Ooh, so Thanksgiving is next week and I want to get all the food shopping done this weekend. I was thinking we could go all out, have a Thanksgiving the way we used to with mom.” </p><p>Mel’s eyes lit up. “With all of mom’s recipes? We haven’t had that since she died.” </p><p>“Of course with mom’s recipes. I just wish I could invite some of the foreign exchange kids from school the way mom always did, but I can’t exactly invite them to our invisible house,” she sighed. </p><p>“Your Thanksgiving sounds wildly different from everything I’ve ever seen. Fill me in on some more of the great Marisol traditions,” Macy said, smiling. </p><p>In recent months, Maggie had been focused on traditions and keeping Marisol’s spirit alive. Being back in school made her nostalgic for Hilltowne and their former life. Macy was enjoying getting to learn more about her mother. </p><p>“It was the best,” Maggie sighed. “Mom would always invite a group of foreign students over to join us for Thanksgiving dinner. She’d make a giant feast, but none of the boring Thanksgiving food. It was all empanadas, rice, beans, and the most amazing flan for dessert. She would encourage the students to bring something traditional from their home. It was a giant multicultural potluck extravaganza.” </p><p>“That sounds like so much fun,” Macy said. Not for the first time, she found herself wishing she had been able to be there for the family holidays. </p><p>“It was,” Maggie smiled wistfully. “Hey, our Thanksgivings were all about incorporating other traditions. What did you and Dexter do? We can add in your traditions, too. Besides, I want to know what I missed out on with my dad.” </p><p>Macy froze. As Maggie had become more focused on the past, she also had hundreds of questions about Macy’s childhood and their father. She was eager to catch up on a lifetime of memories. </p><p>“We didn’t really do much for Thanksgiving,” Macy said gently. “Dad’s father died before I was born and my grandma died when I was really young. He didn’t really have any other family, at least not nearby. It seemed silly to cook a big meal for two people. We normally would just get takeout and spend the day hanging out together.”</p><p>Maggie frowned slightly. “So, you didn’t do anything special? But, how did it feel different from any other day?”</p><p>Macy shrugged. “I was at home? I mean, once I went away to school, it was just special that I was there.” She paused, trying to come up with something that might appease Maggie’s curiosity. “We would always have apple pie for dessert?”</p><p>Maggie smiled at the thought of something tangible, something she could do to recreate the holiday. “Why apple pie specifically?”</p><p>“My grandma,” Macy explained. “My grandparents used to have these big apple trees in their backyard, so she would pick the best apples from their harvest and make a pie for Thanksgiving. I have a really vague memory of picking apples when I was maybe three or four, but she died when I was five. Dad got an apple pie every year after that. He always complained that it wasn’t as good as his mom’s, but it was better than no pie at all.” </p><p>“What else would you guys do together?” Maggie asked, longing for anything else that could be a connection to the father she would never know. </p><p>“Honestly, my biggest memories of Thanksgiving are the drive back to school,” Macy said, smiling to herself.</p><p>“Oh,” Maggie said, her shoulders slumping. “That sounds depressing.”</p><p>“No, not like that,” Macy corrected her. “Not in a sad way. The first year I went away, I really struggled with going back after Thanksgiving break. I wanted to stay at home. So, dad tried to turn the drive back into the most fun road trip ever. We played the alphabet game, I Spy, anything like that. We stopped at this little Italian restaurant just over the border in New Jersey and absolutely gorged ourselves on pasta. He was so tired after that lunch he almost couldn’t keep driving. He blared his music and we sang along the rest of the way to Connecticut with the windows rolled down. He had me focus on keeping him awake, so I wouldn’t think about how sad I was going back to school. After that, every time he took me back to school, we’d stop at that restaurant and eat way too much pasta. I’ve still never had a better eggplant parmesan.” </p><p>Maggie relaxed against the back of the couch and smiled. “That sounds really nice. I don’t think we ever did a road trip with mom like that.” </p><p>“No, mom hated being stuck in the car,” Mel agreed. “Maybe we could take a road trip together sometime this summer?”</p><p>Harry walked into the living room and stepped behind the chair where Macy sat. He leaned down and kissed her on the top of her head. “Apologies for interrupting, but it’s 9:00,” he said, his arm resting on her shoulder. </p><p>“And that is my cue,” Macy said, pulling off her face mask and standing up. “We’ll do this again soon. But yes to the road trip idea. I’m totally on board.”  </p><p>“Oh right, Thursday night. Have fun, you two,” Maggie smiled, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. </p><p>“Do not forget the privacy candle later,” Mel yelled as the couple walked out of the room.</p><p>“One time and we’ll never live that down,” Macy laughed. She put her arm around Harry’s waist and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked through the kitchen to the backyard. “Did you grab everything already?”</p><p>The Thursday night tradition started several months ago after their first big fight. Both of them were tired. They were practically living at the Command Center, searching for a group of Carnal demons who were kidnapping witches. Macy suggested offering herself up as bait. Harry lost his cool over the idea and it spilled into a screaming match of all their insecurities. Her fears that he thought she was weak. His anxieties over not being able to protect her from the demonic world. Maggie and Mel sat them both down and told them to figure out their problems because they were not going to keep fighting like that.</p><p>After that, every Thursday at 9:00, the couple took a bottle of wine and spent the evening talking and dancing together in the backyard, a way to reconnect and remember how their relationship had started. </p><p>“Wine and glasses are on the table. Speakers are set up. Lights are on. All that’s missing is you,” he said, turning to kiss her quickly. “And why are you guys taking a road trip? I can orb you anywhere or we can open a portal.” </p><p>She pulled out her phone and opened Spotify, finding their shared playlist. The sultry voice of Etta James came through the speakers as Harry opened the bottle of chardonnay and poured them both a glass. He handed one to her and took a sip from his.</p><p>“It’s not about the destination, Harry,” Macy said, laughing gently as she took a drink. “Haven’t you ever been on a road trip with someone? Picked out the perfect playlist, played silly games, taken the time to relax with someone else? It’s just fun being trapped in a car for a few hours.” </p><p>He furrowed his brow in concentration for a moment. “Yeah, that doesn’t sound fun at all.” </p><p>She set her goblet down and grabbed his to put on the table as well. “You don’t think it’d be fun to drive through the countryside together?” She put her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. “Nothing to do but talk to each other for hours until we reached our destination? All the time in the world to spend together?” She leaned in and kissed him softly. </p><p>He rested his hands on the small of her back and deepened the kiss. “Okay, maybe that does sound slightly appealing,” he said, pulling back and looking into her eyes. He pulled her away from the table, so they would have more room to move.  </p><p>She took his hand in hers and rested her head on his shoulder. They swayed back and forth as the song changed to Norah Jones. </p><p>“How did the topic of road trips come up?” he asked softly, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.</p><p>“We were talking about Thanksgiving,” she explained. “Maggie’s on one of her tradition kicks and wanted to know about my Thanksgivings with dad. She wanted to incorporate some of our stuff with their traditions. Make me feel included and then she’ll also feel closer to dad that way.” </p><p>“I think that sounds lovely,” he said, spinning her out and pulling her back so her back rested against his chest. He put his arms around her waist and rested his chin in the crook of her shoulder. </p><p>“It is,” she sighed. </p><p>“Then why don’t you sound happy about it?” he asked curiously. </p><p>“It’s not that I’m unhappy about it,” she said, resting her cheek against his. “It’s just she and Mel have these grand holiday traditions. I didn’t have that growing up. It’s not that we ignored holidays. They just weren’t a big deal. I feel like I’m disappointing Maggie by not having these huge, momentous stories of my childhood.” </p><p>“You’re not disappointing her,” he frowned. “She’s just trying to feel closer to you and to Dexter. Trying to reconcile everything she knows with everything she missed out on. I’m sure she’s just excited to learn more about her father.” </p><p>“I know,” she said, turning her head to give him a quick kiss. “It’s just weird to think of all these big, elaborate festivities. I’m used to holidays being small and relaxing. Just another thing to adjust to, I guess.” She turned around in his arms and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Besides, this year we can come up with new traditions, too.” </p><p>“Well, all Thanksgiving traditions are going to be new to me,” he joked. </p><p>“You didn’t celebrate with any of your other American charges?” she asked. </p><p>“Not really,” he said, squinting as if he were trying to look through his own memories. “You three really are the first ones who have ever included me in your family. I normally just spent holidays alone.” He smiled sadly. </p><p>“Well, you’ll never have to spend another holiday alone, Harry,” she said, resting her forehead against his. “I’ll make sure of that.” </p><p>The song switched to Arlissa as he smiled mischievously at her. She rolled her eyes and smiled. A few weeks ago, this song had come on while they were dancing together and Macy started singing along softly to it. As she had let down her barriers with him, she started singing along more frequently to her favorite songs.  </p><p>It used to be that Harry would say Macy’s speaking voice was the most beautiful sound in the world. Then he heard her laugh, the full-throated one she only let out when she was truly happy. It all paled in comparison to her singing voice, though. The first time he heard her sing, he would swear he felt his heart skip a beat. </p><p>As the song continued, she sang softly while he rested his head against hers. It ended and he leaned in for a deep kiss. “It’s getting quite cold out here, don’t you think?” he asked casually. </p><p>She smirked. “Take me inside and warm me up,” she whispered in his ear. He grabbed her phone off the table and took her upstairs, taking care to light the privacy candle before they continued the rest of their night. </p><hr/><p>A week later on Thanksgiving morning, Harry and Macy awoke to the sound of pots and pans clanging in the kitchen. They looked at each other, confused. They were the only two who were both typically awake this early and regularly cooked. </p><p>“Should we go see what’s going on?” she asked nervously. </p><p>“See if they need any help? Or supervision?” he added. “Probably, yeah.”</p><p>They walked in the kitchen to find Maggie chopping vegetables. She had numerous papers spread out in front of her. Jordan stood at the island, rolling out dough for the empanadas. Mel poured broth into a stockpot on the stove. Ruby sat at the counter, drinking a glass of juice, chatting quietly with the others.</p><p>“Good morning!” Maggie said brightly, noticing the couple standing in the doorway. “Happy Thanksgiving!” She had the crazed look in her eyes of someone who had very little sleep and was running on pure adrenaline. “Coffee? There’s still some left. I’ve only had about half the pot.”</p><p>“You’ve had half the pot of coffee?” Macy asked, a little scared. “Like by yourself?”</p><p>“Yep,” Maggie nodded. “I’ve got a detailed outline for every dish and a tight schedule for the day, so I couldn’t waste any time sleeping in late today.”</p><p>“It’s 8:00 in the morning,” Harry said, confused. “Do you even know how to cook?”</p><p>She rolled her eyes fondly. “Oh, Harry, do I even know how to cook? Just because you or Macy always cooks, it doesn’t mean I don’t know how to do it.”</p><p>“I’ve literally never seen you cook anything,” he added. “We can help. Just tell me what to do.” He moved to stand next to Maggie and look at her notes. </p><p>“Nope,” she said, laying her chest over the counter to cover up the papers. “You and Macy cook all the time, so I decided you’re not lifting a finger today. Besides, I have surprises.” </p><p>The couple looked at each other nervously as they assessed their chefs for the day. For all Maggie’s protestations she knew how to cook, they weren’t very optimistic. Mel had once set Easy Mac on fire in the microwave. Jordan survived on sandwiches and takeout. </p><p>Ruby picked up on their fears as she laughed from the counter. “Don’t worry, I’m supervising,” she said. “I’ve worked in bars and restaurants for years. I’ll make sure they don’t poison us.” </p><p>“So, you two go relax together,” Maggie said, walking over to them and gently pushing them out of the kitchen. “We’re eating at 3 pm and I don’t want to see you in here a second before that.” </p><p>The couple walked into the living room and sat down. “I guess we have the whole day to do nothing then,” Macy said, confused. “What do we do now?”</p><p>“I don’t know, what do people do on Thanksgiving if they’re not cooking?” Harry asked. </p><p>“We can watch the parade,” she shrugged. She found the right channel and settled in on the couch next to Harry. She rested her head on his shoulder and pulled a blanket over them as they watched the balloons and Broadway performances, both drifting back to sleep. </p><p>They woke up again just as Santa was waving hello to signify the end of the parade. Harry stretched and put his arms around Macy. “Should we go check and see how they’re doing?” he asked. “I don’t feel right just sitting here while they’re doing all the work.” </p><p>“We can try, but Maggie seemed pretty insistent,” Macy said sleepily. </p><p>They walked into the kitchen and surveyed the damage. The sink was overflowing with dishes. Maggie had remnants of various sauces staining her apron and shirt. She had pulled her hair back in a messy bun. Sweat dotted her brow. “What are you two doing in here?” Maggie asked, frantically. “I can handle this. We can do this.” </p><p>Harry stepped over near her, putting his hands up cautiously. “No one is saying you can’t. How about this? Macy and I will help you get caught up on dishes and you can keep cooking. Mainly because if you want to cook anything else, I think every dish in the house is currently in the sink.” </p><p>She nodded, distractedly looking at her notes and trying to figure out her next step. “Yeah, okay, I didn’t factor in cleanup when I was making my schedule.”</p><p>Macy walked over and put her hand on Maggie’s arm and smiled encouragingly. “It smells delicious in here. So, whatever you’re making for us, it seems promising.” </p><p>Maggie gave her a big hug and sighed. “Thank you.” She pulled back and looked at her sister. “I know neither of you have really had big Thanksgivings before, so I just wanted everything to be special.” </p><p>“It will be, Mags,” Macy reassured her. “Don’t stress yourself out so much. It’s going to be great.” </p><p>Harry and Macy got to work on the dishes while the others continued cooking. Once the dishes were done, Maggie again banished the couple to the living room. They decided to watch a couple episodes of Heaven’s Vice until dinner was ready. </p><p>Around 2:45, Maggie stepped into the living room to get them. She looked considerably less frazzled and had changed into clothing that wasn’t stained with a preview of their upcoming meal. “Dinner is served,” she said proudly. </p><p>The couple followed her into the dining room. A veritable feast was spread out before them. Maggie had found Marisol’s china plates in a cabinet somewhere. Jordan handed each of them a glass of wine and they sat down at the table. </p><p>Maggie stood at the edge of the table, beaming with excitement. “We’ve got our traditional empanadas, rice, and beans for Mel and me. Jordan brought macaroni and cheese and green beans. Ruby made deviled eggs and homemade rolls. For Harry, we’ve got Yorkshire puddings because I remembered you said those were one of your favorites. And for Macy, eggplant parmesan. Then we’ve got flan and apple pie for dessert.” </p><p>Harry smiled. “You remembered I like Yorkshire puddings?” </p><p>“Of course I did,” Maggie said. “You mentioned it last Christmas when we were talking about dinners. You said it was the thing you missed most from England. Don’t worry, Jordan handled all the meat. I know you don’t want the vegan cooking meat.” She bounced back and forth on the balls of her feet, excited everything had turned out according to plan. </p><p>“It looks amazing, Mags,” Macy said, sitting down. </p><p>“Well, Jordan, Mel and Ruby did a ton of the cooking,” she said, deflecting the praise. </p><p>“She was the ringleader for everything,” Jordan said, squeezing Maggie’s hand affectionately and kissing her on the cheek. “Don’t sell yourself short here.”</p><p>They all dug into the food. Harry was relieved to find that everything tasted delicious. With how excited Maggie was about cooking for them, he had hoped he wouldn’t have to lie to her and say it was good. </p><p>Following dinner, the group decided to spend the rest of the evening playing games in the living room. Mel left with Ruby around 7:00 to visit her mother for a smaller dinner. Maggie fell asleep around 8:00, the caffeine and excitement finally wearing off. Jordan carried her up to bed, leaving Macy and Harry sitting quietly on the couch. </p><p>They went to finish cleaning the dishes, looking out the window as they washed and dried everything. “Looks like our backyard dance may be a bust tonight,” Macy said, disappointed as she watched sheets of rain pouring down. “If it were summer, I’d be all for dancing in the rain, but it might be a bit cold at the end of November.” </p><p>“Well, Mel’s out and Maggie’s already passed out for the night, so let’s just stay inside. Living room?” Harry asked as he dried the last plate. “I may forgo the wine, though. I’m still stuffed and can’t imagine drinking anything else.”</p><p>She smiled, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. “That works for me.” She grabbed the speakers from the counter and walked towards the living room. She looked back over her shoulder at him, smirking seductively. “Come on, Mr. Greenwood. I do believe you owe me a dance or twenty.” </p><p>He walked over to her, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her back against him, kissing the crook of her neck. “Always, my love.” </p><p>She hit shuffle on their playlist and placed her arms around his neck. “So, how was your first big Thanksgiving?” she asked him as Ben Folds’ voice spilled into the living room.</p><p>He looked lovingly into her eyes. “Perfect. How could it be anything else? I was with my family.”</p><p>She smiled and leaned in to kiss him. “It was pretty great. And who knew Maggie could cook?” </p><p>“I don’t think even Maggie knew she could cook like that,” he laughed. “And I don’t think she’ll ever do it again. She looked exhausted.”</p><p>“Eh, that could have just been the crash once the caffeine wore off,” she said. “But she put so much work into everything. It was so sweet.” </p><p>He hummed in agreement. “So, what are you thankful for this year, Dr. Vaughn?” he asked, his voice low in her ear. </p><p>She smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. “The Faction being gone. Getting to spend more holidays with my sisters. Getting to learn more about mom and telling Maggie more about our dad. Oh yeah, and there’s this guy.” </p><p>“Oh, yeah,” he said, laughing gently. “Tell me more about this guy.”</p><p>“I’m a little bit in love with him,” she said, looking into his eyes.</p><p>He stopped moving and looked intensely into her eyes. “Well, he’s a lot in love with you. More and more every day.” </p><p>She pulled him in for a kiss. He deepened it as he ran his hands along her sides, inching beneath her sweater and caressing her bare skin. </p><p>“Mm, Harry, upstairs now,” she said, pulling back from him. She grabbed his hand and led him towards the stairs. “What I want to do with you now probably shouldn’t happen in the living room.” </p><p>He laughed and followed her upstairs so they could spend the rest of the evening showing each other how thankful they were for the other.</p><hr/><p>That weekend, Jordan took the sisters, Harry, and Ruby out for his favorite Seattle holiday traditions. They grabbed dinner together and headed to Pike Place Market to wander around and look at the decorations. They strolled through the alleys, leading them down the hill closer to the waterfront. The vibrant colored lights bounced off the rain-soaked street to create an almost hallucinatory effect. Every store had a small Christmas tree lit up in their window. Strings of bulbs hung from above, blanketing the patrons in the soft glow of the white lights. </p><p>Maggie smiled, curled up in the crook of Jordan’s arm, as they walked along. “This reminds me of the lights in the town square from back home,” she said, looking at Mel. “Don’t you think?”</p><p>Mel looked around, observing the lights twinkling on the sides of the buildings. “I suppose so. This doesn’t feel as homey, though. Not that it’s a bad thing. It’s beautiful in its own way.”</p><p>“Plus, if we were back home, we wouldn’t be walking around,” Maggie laughed. “Mom always had us bundled up in the car, driving around to look at the lights in all the different neighborhoods.”</p><p>Macy smiled, her arm around Harry’s waist as they walked along the sidewalk. “Another Marisol tradition?”</p><p>Maggie beamed. “Of course. The best was this house that had Victorian carolers on the weekends. I always made mom take us there at least twice every season.”</p><p>“By which she means she tried to make mom take us there every weekend and mom negotiated it down to every other weekend,” Mel said, affectionately teasing her. “As Mags got older, the carolers would normally let her join in for a couple songs. That was the only house where we ever got out of the car.” </p><p>“That sounds nice,” Macy smiled. </p><p>She found herself more glad every day that Maggie was opening up about their childhood traditions. The first Christmas they were in Hilltowne, she wouldn’t have been ready to hear these stories. The grief was still fresh for Maggie and Mel. Macy was reeling from accepting her place in her newfound family. Every mention of Marisol had been accompanied by pangs of jealousy over the childhood she would never have. Now, though, Macy felt at peace. She had her sisters and Harry. They could forge their own path together. </p><p>“What were your Christmases like?” Mel asked. Maggie’s eyes lit up at the possibility of more traditions to incorporate. </p><p>Macy hesitated. “I mean, dad always took me to see Santa when I was young. We’d put up a Christmas tree and lights at home. We didn’t do anything big, though.” She smiled to herself as she ran through her memories, thinking back to a moment she had not thought of in years. “In the evening on Christmas Eve, he would let me open up one present. It was always a book. He’d put on this Christmas jazz album and sit with me while I read. I’d have a mug of hot chocolate and he would pour himself a glass or two of scotch. Then on Christmas, we’d watch those old claymation specials.”</p><p>“Ooh, I know the ones you’re talking about,” Maggie said, excitedly. “We watched those, too.” She felt so relieved to have something in common with her oldest sister. Something she could latch on to that would help her feel closer to their dad. </p><p>“Santa Claus is Coming to Town was always my favorite one,” Macy said. “We should watch it sometime this year.” </p><p>“Definitely,” Maggie said, slightly bouncing on the balls of her feet. She wrapped her arms around Jordan. “But we should go home because it’s freezing out here and I can’t feel my nose anymore.” </p><p>The others laughed. “Definitely,” Mel said. “It’s gorgeous out here, but my fingers are icicles.” They went home, deciding to spend the rest of the evening together, sipping hot chocolate and chatting about Christmases past. </p><hr/><p>A few days later, the three sisters set out to try to find Christmas presents for their respective significant others. Maggie and Mel had ideas of what to get Jordan and Ruby, respectively. Macy had been racking her brain for days, but she kept coming up empty. She was hoping her sisters might be able to help her.</p><p>They headed to the nearest mall and wandered in and out of the stores. Mel had ordered a soccer jersey for Ruby’s favorite player to be delivered to the store, so she just needed to pick that up. </p><p>Maggie led them into a music store, thumbing through different records looking for some of Jordan’s favorites. </p><p>“He’s decided everything sounds better on vinyl, so he’s trying to replace his entire music collection,” Maggie said, rolling her eyes. “I can’t tell the difference, but he swears it’s more authentic to the spirit of the artist, or something like that.”</p><p>The sisters laughed. As Jordan was becoming more ingrained in their lives, they were finding more of his quirks, including that he was a total snob about music. </p><p>Macy went through the albums. Maybe Harry would appreciate a record, she thought to herself. But she would also need to get him a record player. He had never said anything about wanting a record player. He had grown used to Spotify and used that to easily update their playlist. She normally found him listening to music on his phone when he was cooking or doing dishes. She sighed, deciding against that idea.</p><p>“So, where to next?” Maggie asked. “Any ideas?”</p><p>Macy twisted her hands nervously. “No, guys, I have no idea. I’ve never had a boyfriend at Christmas before. I researched present ideas for boyfriends, but none of them were right. They were all for generic, sports-obsessed guys. Nothing on those lists said Harry. What am I going to do?” She started to pace back and forth in the aisle, getting more anxious by the second.</p><p>Maggie reached out and put her hands on her sister’s shoulders. “First, you’re going to breathe. Harry is going to like anything that you get him, because he’s Harry and he loves you.” </p><p>“Exactly,” Mel agreed. “What about a new tea set? Put that together with some of his favorite teas?” </p><p>“That sounds great,” Maggie agreed. “There’s an adorable little shop on the other side of the mall.”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Macy grimaced. “I think one of us got him tea last year. That doesn’t feel right.”</p><p>“Okay, what if we hit up the bookstore?” Maggie asked. “It’s just right over there.”</p><p>“No, I got him a book last year for his birthday before we got together. It’s not personal enough,” Macy countered.</p><p>“There’s a clothing store right there. You could get him a nice sweater or a new tie?” Mel asked, grasping at straws.</p><p>“No, all of those are things that you two would get him,” Macy said, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. “Those are friend gifts. Those aren’t boyfriend gifts. They’re not personal enough. This is our first Christmas together. It has to be perfect.” </p><p>“You’re putting way too much pressure on yourself, Mace,” Maggie reassured her. “What makes it personal is that you pick it out, that you were thinking about him.” </p><p>“I just need more time,” Macy sighed, defeated. “I’ll come up with something.” </p><hr/><p>The next weekend, Harry asked the younger sisters to go shopping with him. He was having the same struggles Macy was in finding a present for his girlfriend. He hoped the sisters might help come up with some sort of idea.</p><p>They started in the book store. Mel heard there was a new biography of Ada Lovelace that was supposed to be good. She grabbed that and an anthology of feminist science fiction stories, knowing Macy would enjoy both of those. “I’m sure there will be something here, Harry,” she reassured him.</p><p>He looked around as if the perfect gift would come floating in front of him. “No, she hasn’t mentioned any books she wants. It doesn’t feel right.”</p><p>The sisters looked at each other, rolling their eyes. They were fully prepared for an outing much like the one they had with Macy. </p><p>“Well, I need to hit up the coffee shop and the spa store for my gift,” Maggie said. “Maybe you’ll find something there?”</p><p>He sighed. “Maybe.” He followed the sisters to the next two stores. He knew coffee wasn’t going to be right. As much as Macy loved coffee, that was something you got for a good friend. There was nothing sentimental about it. He knew nothing about any of the items in the spa store. Yes, she loved her bubble baths, but that wasn’t personal enough. </p><p>“How about the jewelry store?” Mel asked. “Maybe a nice necklace? Or some earrings?”</p><p>He paused, knowing there was only one piece of jewelry he wanted to give Macy, but also knowing it was entirely too early in their relationship for that to be appropriate. Other than that, Macy was practical. She was back working in a lab full-time, so she tried to keep her appearance simple. “No, I don’t think so.”</p><p>“Victoria’s Secret is right over there,” Maggie teased. “I’m sure you could find something for her.”</p><p>He blushed. “Firstly, that really seems like more of a present for myself. Secondly, I’m certainly not taking the two of you to pick out lingerie for your sister.” </p><p>“They do have things other than lingerie, Harry,” Maggie smirked. “But I see where your mind went. Any other ideas?”</p><p>He shook his head. “No, I’ll have to keep thinking. It’s just, it’s our first major holiday together. I want it to be perfect.”</p><p>“Harry, she’s going to love whatever you give her because she loves you,” Maggie said, parroting what she had told her sister when Macy was freaking out. </p><p>“But she deserves the perfect present,” he lamented. “I just don’t know what that is.” </p><hr/><p>Harry and Macy both stressed privately over the next couple of weeks. Both were at a complete loss as to what to get for the other. </p><p>She paid attention to every move he made, every news story he mentioned, everything that made him laugh, hoping it would be the key to unlocking the mystery to his present.</p><p>Every time she wasn’t looking, he studied her intently. He focused on anything that made her smile, anything she mentioned any interest in, any potential clues. </p><p>With only three days to go until Christmas, Macy cornered Maggie in the kitchen after Harry had left for the day.</p><p>“Maggie, I have nothing,” she said, pacing back and forth. “I have nothing to give Harry.”</p><p>“Wait, you still haven’t figured anything out,” Maggie said, grimacing. “Christmas is in three days.”</p><p>“Yes, Maggie, I can read a calendar,” she yelled. “Sorry, I just...I know him and he’s going to have picked out the most insanely thoughtful gift and I’m just going to be standing there like an idiot.” </p><p>“You could make him something?” Maggie shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve already given you all my ideas for him. You’re the one that knows him best, though.”</p><p>“I know, but nothing seems like it’s enough. What do I give to him that says all the things I want it to say?” She looked at her sister helplessly. “How can I possibly find something that says how much I love him?”</p><p>“I still think you’re putting way too much pressure on one gift, Macy,” Maggie pushed back gently. “As long as you put thought into it, anything can be special.”</p><p>Meanwhile in the Command Center, Harry paced back and forth as Mel attempted to calm him down. </p><p>“I can’t have nothing for her on Christmas,” he ranted. “What kind of terrible boyfriend am I if I can’t even manage to find her a gift for our first Christmas together?”</p><p>Mel sighed. He had been spiraling for the better part of an hour. By this point, he didn’t need her to echo anything back to him. He had stopped listening to reason a while back.</p><p>“You’re not a terrible boyfriend,” she said, trying to break through to him. “You’re putting way too much pressure on the commercial aspect of the holiday. Anything you give her is going to be fine, Harry.”</p><p>“But it’s not,” he argued. “It has to be perfect. Because she is perfect and I just want to give her something that shows her that.” </p><p>“You have to calm down,” she said, blocking his path to keep him from pacing any longer. “You’re making me dizzy with the back and forth. And once again, like Maggie and I have been telling you for weeks now, anything you give to her is going to be fine because it came from you. That’s the important part of the equation here. All she wants, all anyone wants, is to know you were thinking of her.” </p><p>He sighed, hoping she was right. The clock was running out and he had to figure out something for Christmas morning.  </p><hr/><p>As Christmas Eve rolled around, Harry and Macy had both privately resigned themselves to disappointing the other the next day. There was still the off chance that inspiration would strike. Neither was optimistic, though. They both went through the motions that day, each too caught up in their own thoughts to notice the other was equally distraught. </p><p>That evening, Harry prepared a small meal for the four of them. Afterwards, Mel led her sisters into the living room and sat them down on the couch. She smiled excitedly as the plan she had worked out with Harry was coming to fruition.</p><p>“What is all this?” Maggie asked, curiously. “You’re almost creepily excited right now.”</p><p>“It’s not creepy, shut up,” Mel said, rolling her eyes. “I just figured Maggie and I never really did anything major for Christmas Eve, so this was the perfect year to incorporate some new traditions.” She went over to the tree and pulled out a package to hand to Macy. “One gift to open on Christmas Eve.”</p><p>Macy smiled shyly, instantly recognizing the shape of the package. She opened it to find the anthology of feminist science-fiction stories. “My Christmas Eve book,” she said, slightly tearing up. It had been so long since she had gotten a book from her dad. She hadn’t realized until just now how much she missed that tradition. She got up and hugged her sister. “Thank you.” </p><p>Maggie smiled. “Aw, Mel, look at you being sentimental,” she teased gently. “I think I’m rubbing off on you.” </p><p>Mel rolled her eyes and then reached under the tree to pick out another present. “And for you, too,” she said, handing the package to Maggie. </p><p>“What?” Maggie asked, confused. She opened the gift to find the latest romance novel from Jasmine Guillory. “I get a book, too,” she said, tearing up. She was struck with the pang of loss over never getting a Christmas Eve with her biological father. She imagined herself as a child sitting next to Macy on the couch. Macy, intently devouring whatever story she had been given. Maggie, desperately trying to imitate the older sister she knew she would have idolized. </p><p>“This way, you both get to keep Dexter’s spirit alive,” Mel said, smiling. She pulled out her phone and connected it to the Bluetooth speakers on the fireplace mantle. “Now, I didn’t know which specific Christmas jazz album your dad had, so I just had to find one online. I hope that’ll be okay.” </p><p>Macy smiled as the music softly spilled into the room. “It’s perfect,” she said. “Thank you.” </p><p>“And the finishing touch,” Harry said, walking into the room carrying a tray. “Freshly made hot chocolate for all of us.” He handed a mug to each of the sisters. Macy beamed up at him as she accepted the drink. He settled on the couch next to her and she instantly curled into his side.</p><p>Harry and Mel had each bought themselves new books to join in the festivities. The four sat together peacefully, sipping their beverages and reading their respective books. The only sound in the room was the soft jazz and the flipping of pages. It was the quiet Christmas Eve Macy remembered from her childhood. If she closed her eyes, she could almost see her father sitting in his chair, sipping scotch while he softly hummed along to the music. </p><p>Hours later, they split off from each other and got ready for bed. As Macy and Harry prepared to get into bed, she paused. “Harry, I know we’re all exchanging presents tomorrow morning, but do you think you and I could do ours privately tomorrow evening?” she asked. She hoped she might be able to pull something together at the last moment. Mostly, she just didn’t want to disappoint him in front of everyone. </p><p>He could have kissed her, he felt so relieved. “Absolutely, love,” he readily agreed. “That sounds perfect.” </p><hr/><p>They woke up the next morning to the sound of Maggie running downstairs to open the front door. Jordan and Ruby were both joining the family for Christmas morning. Although Maggie was a grown woman, she was filled with childlike enthusiasm for the holiday. </p><p>“We should probably head down there before Maggie has a coronary,” Macy joked. She leaned in and kissed Harry. “Merry Christmas, babe.” </p><p>“Merry Christmas, my love,” he said, pulling her in for a deeper kiss. </p><p>They went downstairs to find the other four sitting in the living room. “Finally,” Maggie yelled, jumping up. She ran over to the couple and grabbed their hands to pull them into the room. “There’s presents to open. I thought you would never wake up.” </p><p>“It’s 8:30,” Harry argued. “You’re normally not even up by now.”</p><p>“Yeah, but it’s Christmas, so Maggie’s normally up by like 5:30,” Mel said. “Mom had to make a rule on Christmas morning that if the sun wasn’t awake, Maggie couldn’t be, either.” </p><p>Maggie rolled her eyes. “So, I like presents. Sue me. Now, come on.” </p><p>Harry and Macy sat on the ground near the fireplace, curled up against each other. Maggie started pulling gifts out from under the tree and doling them out to everyone. Once all the presents were distributed, she sat down next to Jordan.</p><p>“You know, if you’re wanting to incorporate different family traditions, we could do what my family does for present opening,” Jordan said. </p><p>“And what is that?” Maggie asked, leaning against her boyfriend.</p><p>“Everyone opens one present at a time. We go in order from oldest to youngest. It can take hours to open presents,” he said, bursting into laughter at the irritated look on Maggie’s face. </p><p>“That sounds like actual hell,” she said. </p><p>“I’m just messing with you,” he said, kissing her quickly. “I mean, my family does do that, so get ready for it.” </p><p>“We’re more the fast and furious, open everything up and then look at what everyone got kind of family,” Mel said. </p><p>“I do like the idea of going a little slower, though,” Macy said, shrugging. “That way, you can actually see people open the gift you got them.” </p><p>“I suppose I could try to exercise some restraint,” Maggie said slowly. “Just know that putting me in front of a stack of presents and telling me I can’t open them all is a form of torture. But I can be an adult.” </p><p>“We’ll let you start,” Harry joked. </p><p>“Okay,” Maggie said, immediately reaching for a package and ripping off the paper. She opened it to find a box of her favorite makeup palettes and new brushes from Mel. </p><p>Jordan went next, getting a stack of his favorite albums on vinyl from Maggie. </p><p>Ruby followed, opening up her soccer jersey from Mel. </p><p>Mel opened a potions book from Harry. “It’s the oldest one I could find in existence,” he told her. “I thought you’d appreciate seeing where some of the modern potions originated.” She smiled, knowing she would be geeking out over potions with Harry as she worked her way through the book. </p><p>Harry got a new pair of boxing gloves and a focus mitt from Jordan. “Now you can stop stealing my shit when we’re training,” Jordan joked with him. </p><p>Macy opened the biography of Ada Lovelace from Mel. </p><p>As the circle continued, Maggie got a package of lotions and face masks from Harry. “Macy promised me those were the most relaxing ones that also matched your skin type,” Harry said as Maggie laughed affectionately, knowing he had no idea what he was actually talking about. Jordan got tickets for the two of them for the Camilla Cabello concert in town next month. She smiled, knowing how much he hated most pop music, but he knew how much she loved it. </p><p>Harry, Macy, and Mel had gone in on a joint gift for Jordan. They assembled all of the potions he had learned into his own potions book, along with all the supplies he needed to complete them. There was a blank page next to every potion in the book. “That way, you can make adjustments to any potions as you notice more about them,” Mel explained. They were well aware how much he enjoyed making potions, his inner nerd shining through at every moment. He instantly started flipping through, trying to decide which one he would experiment with first. </p><p>Mel got a scarf and faux leather jacket from Maggie. From Macy, she received Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s new memoir. Ruby gave her a Megan Rapinoe jersey and scarf for her favorite team. </p><p>Harry opened a sweater from Maggie. Mel gave him several boxes of his favorite tea and a couple packages of his favorite biscuits. </p><p>Macy opened a bag filled with her favorite coffee, bath bombs, and face masks from Maggie. </p><p>“Well, it looks like that’s everything,” Maggie said, looking around. </p><p>“Not quite,” Macy said, standing up. “Maggie, I didn’t want my gift to you to get damaged, so I didn’t wrap it. I just have to go grab it from upstairs.” She stepped away for a moment. </p><p>Maggie tilted her head to the side. In the excitement of everything, she hadn’t even noticed there had been no gift from her oldest sister. </p><p>Macy came back downstairs, holding a large book. She sat on the couch next to her sister. “I finally went through a bunch of dad’s stuff. He had a ton of old photos in there. Pictures of me as a kid, stuff from his childhood, some of our grandparents. I even found a couple of our great-grandparents. I kept the originals in an album, but I made copies of them for you and put them into your own photo album. I thought we could go through them together and I could tell you all the stories I remember.” </p><p>Maggie opened the book and looked down at it silently, finding a photo of their father when he was around the same age as her. She gently touched her fingers to the page, afraid that if she pressed too hard, the picture would disintegrate into nothingness. </p><p>Macy began to worry when her sister stayed silent. “Oh no,” she said. “Do you not like it? I can get you something else. I just thought-”</p><p>“No,” Maggie said, turning to her sister with tears in her eyes and hugging her tightly. “It’s perfect. This is the best present anyone has ever given me. Thank you.” </p><p>Mel and Ruby left shortly after they finished opening presents, planning to spend the rest of the day with Ruby’s mother. Macy and Maggie spent the rest of the morning curled up on the couch, going through the photo album together. Harry and Jordan sat with them, listening to the stories, both enjoying the excitement on their girlfriends’ faces. </p><p>After dinner, Harry decided he couldn’t put it off any longer. He had to just tell Macy he had failed and didn’t have a present for her. He had no idea she was having the same anxiety he was in that moment. </p><p>He stepped behind her and put his arms around her. “I know it’s not Thursday, but it is unseasonably warm outside,” he said, softly in her ear. “Dance with me?”</p><p>She rested her cheek against his, smiling. “That sounds perfect.” </p><p>She went to grab the speakers while he plugged in the lights. She hit shuffle on their playlist and the opening to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” poured through the speakers. Harry smiled, reaching for her hand and pulling her close to him. </p><p>They swayed back and forth silently for a few moments, listening to Elvis’s dulcet tones serenading them. Finally, Macy sighed in agony and let her forehead hang against Harry’s shoulder. She mumbled something into his shoulder.</p><p>“What’s wrong, love?” he asked. “I couldn’t understand what you were saying.”</p><p>She pulled her head back up and pulled away from him, starting to pace back and forth. “I said I don’t have a gift for you. I thought of so many things, but none of them were right. They all seemed like things I would have gotten for you when we were just friends. None of them said what I wanted to say.” She stopped and looked at him, tears glistening in her eyes. “I couldn’t think of anything that said you have completely changed my life. That loving you and being loved by you is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. That every moment I get to spend with you makes me happier than I ever thought imaginable.” She sighed. “And now, you’re probably going to break up with me because I’m sure you came up with the sweetest thing ever and I have nothi-” </p><p>He stopped forward, grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. Her arms went around his shoulders as he continued to pour himself into her. He broke away and held his head against her forehead. “I don’t have anything for you, either,” he admitted. “For all the same reasons as you. Every gift I thought of seemed inadequate.” He reached up, holding his hand against her cheek. “You are my world. I wake up every morning, certain this will be the day I find out I’ve been dreaming and I’m not actually lucky enough to be yours. You are the love of my life, Macy Vaughn. And I couldn’t think of anything that sufficiently expressed that.” </p><p>She smiled, relieved to know he had been going through the same panic she had been for the past several weeks. She leaned in and kissed him softly. “Harry, you’re all I need,” she reassured him. “Yes, presents are nice, but being with you, being loved by you, that’s the greatest gift I’ve ever had.” </p><p>He smiled, pulling her tightly against him. “I feel the same way, love. Holding you in my arms, dancing with you in the moonlight, waking up every morning next to you, there’s no greater present I could imagine.” </p><p>They swayed back and forth, feeling the stress leave their bodies as they relished being in each other’s arms. They could both relax, knowing their partner was not mad over the lack of a tangible Christmas gift. </p><p>Macy pulled back and smiled devilishly at her boyfriend. “So, if you’re my Christmas present, does that mean I get to unwrap you?” she asked, her voice dripping with false innocence.</p><p>“Only if I get to unwrap my present, too,” he replied, his voice lowering to a near growl. </p><p>He immediately orbed them to their room, her laugh ringing out as the music of K-Ci &amp; Jojo played through the forgotten speakers. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Prompts:<br/>-Harry and Macy are each other's present after not knowing what to gift each other<br/>-Macy reflecting on how different it is to have family to celebrate the holidays with<br/>-Harry and Macy dance in the backyard at least once a week as a way to connect with each other during hectic weeks, as a low stress way to reconnect</p></blockquote></div></div>
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